Friday, May 1, 2015

A few weeks ago, author Warren Bobrow asked if I would accept an advance copy of his new book, Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails, and try out a recipe for the blog. As I read through all the recipes, one of the shrubs that grabbed me the most was the ginger-lime shrub. Besides the flavor profile sounding delightful, I had everything needed to start the project in my refrigerator. While some of the recipes in the book are rather quick shrubs, Warren recommended that this one and several others take its time to develop. So my post about the drink from the advance copy of the book is ready today, May 1st, when the book actually launches (see Amazon link above).

I ended up scaling back the recipe a bit from the book's batch as well as reducing the 4 week incubation to 2 weeks. Resources and deadlines, you know. With this one shrub recipe, Warren provided 5 different drink recipes that can act on their own or serve as catalysts for future experimentation. From that handful, I was tempted by the egg white and Green Chartreuse-laden Twisted Cachaça Sour, but I ended up feeling the need for a Daiquiri.

Once prepared, the Daiquiri offered grassy and funky rum aromas with a hint of fresh lime and savory vinegar. The sip was rather delightful with lime notes and a fruitiness very similar to peach. Finally, the swallow came through as expected with grassy rum and ginger flavors with a vinegar zing. Overall, Bitters & Shrub Syrup Cocktails is less history-driven compared to Michael Dietsch's Shrubs book but is loaded with culinary ideas and flavor combinations.

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The euphemisms are getting a bit stale, suffice to say: four people in Boston -- two of whom are much more prolific writers than the other two (including the originator of this blog, who has no excuse apart from laziness) -- who drink and tell.

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The 2017 collection of 855 drink recipes, bartender tributes, and essays on hospitality from Frederic Yarm, one of the authors of the Cocktail Virgin Slut blog. Available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

The 2012 collection of 505 drink recipes, techniques, and Boston bar recommendations from Frederic Yarm. Available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.